Drinker caterpillars

After watching a drinker caterpillar shed its skin on oregano Silke found over a dozen on this stripey grass. Any port in a storm?  No native coarse grasses in our little garden though I am working on that...

Blossom Underwing

Although we cannot possibly compete with these recent heavy weight catches, amongst last night's haul of only 21 moths of 9 macro species we were delighted to find our second ever Blossom Underwing in our woodland trap.

Carolyn & Evan

Llanarth garden - 16/04/2020

A mild but windy night brought in 27 macro and 4 micro species
There were 5 new macro for the year, including a first for the garden Emperor Moth

Emperor Moth - female

Golden-rod Pug

Nut-tree Tussock

Square Spot

Red-green Carpet

Thanks to Tony and Ina for sorting the Pugs.

Llangeitho moths

As of last September, I am new to moth trapping, and to the blog, which I find very inspiring!

Living a mile out of Llangeitho, I am lucky enough (especially in present circumstances) to have about 3 acres of oak/ash woodland, rough grassland and bramble scrub - and a garden - to work in.

Last night was a dauntingly busy one, with about 175 moths of 27 species. I am at the stage where almost every trap brings me something new, though seldom uncommon. Highlights from last night include a Pebble Prominent, a Flame Carpet, 6 Great Prominent, a Square Spot, and 46 Brindled Beauty; there were also 5 Least Black Arches, 5 Lunar Marbled Brown, 2 Powdered Quaker, a Common Lutestring and an Oak Nycteoline. Tony tells me the Common Lutestring is the early county record by 8 days - and I am grateful for his ready help with ID!.

Common Lutestring

Pebble Prominent

Powdered Quaker

Flame Carpet

Square Spot

In case it's of interest, I use a homemade multi-LED light with a funnel and bucket trap, which runs off a "powerbank", so is very portable.

Talybont garden

The forecast warm night turned out to be a bit windy. The moth catch was a bit disappointing with 28 moths of 10 species, most of them Hebrew Characters. New for us this year were Great Prominent and Eudonia angustea.
Tony & Ina

Great Prominent

Clouded Drab

Streamer

Mottled Grey

Eudonia angustea

Nebo/ Cross Inn Moths

Had I known that the forecast last night was 'windy' I wouldn't have put the trap out so I wasn't too hopeful as I tidied up various plant pots, chairs and a garden frame (!) en route to check it...

The wasn't a massive catch - 12 Hebrew Character, 4 Common Quaker and 4 Small Quaker and this rather impressive Emperor (at least I was impressed as I've never seen one before) It's a female I believe.

Brindled Ochre

This rare moth in Ceredigion was recorded by Chris Bestall in Penbryn. This is only the 12th record for this species and just the 2nd Spring record. These moths fly in the Autumn, when mating occurs, but only the females overwinter to lay their eggs in the Spring. All our records are from the south west tip of the county.
Tony